Nancy Carolyn Woolford

Nancy Carolyn Woolford slipped her earthly bonds on October 6, 2025, at the age of 94 — a long life well lived and deeply loved.

Born on July 21, 1931, in Wynne, Arkansas, to Paul Edward and Olivia Calhoun Cunningham, Nancy grew up in the gentle hills and fertile fields along Crowley’s Ridge in northeast Arkansas. With her brother Edward Cunningham, she was surrounded by a close and loving family whose warmth and humor shaped her enduring kindness and grace.

A proud graduate of Wynne High School, Nancy remained connected throughout her life to a tight-knit circle of lifelong friends. She went on to attend Arkansas State University (ASU), where she flourished both academically and socially. A leader and role model on campus, she served as President of Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority and was honored with several distinctions — TKE Fraternity Sweetheart, School of Engineering Queen, and ASU Homecoming Queen. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Education and began what would become a long and impactful career as an educator and mentor to generations of Springfieldians.

In 1953, she married her college sweetheart, Sheppard Charles Woolford, beginning a partnership that would span more than seventy years. Together they made their home in Springfield, Missouri, where they lived for 61 years on South Kings Avenue before moving to Montclair Residences and later the Chesterfield Bungalows.

Nancy devoted her professional life to teaching in the Springfield Public Schools, where she inspired countless students with her patience, compassion, and quiet strength. Beyond the classroom, she served her community as an officer in the Missouri National Education Association and the American Cancer Society, always seeking ways to lift others and give back.

Faith was the cornerstone of Nancy’s life. She and Shep joined St. Paul United Methodist Church in 1955, where she remained an active and cherished member for seven decades. Through the years — as the congregation evolved into what is now The Downtown Church — Nancy’s steady presence and servant heart shone through. She served as a Parish Trustee, President of the United Methodist Women, and faithful member of the M&M Sunday School Class and Lovely Lane Women’s Circle.

Nancy is survived by her two sons: Paul Woolford (a Design Principal with Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum [HOK] in California) and his spouse Rick Freeman; and Kelly Woolford, an adventure tour director residing in Bali, Indonesia. She also leaves behind her close-knit extended family: Mitzi (Cunningham) Boekmann and her husband Jack of Wynne, Arkansas; Lorraine (Woolford) Zuccato and her husband Mike of Cape May Courthouse, New Jersey; Justin and Allison Patton and their families, and her dear friends Marlene Mason, Maridel Allinder and Ann Willingham— all of whom she cherished deeply.

The family expresses deep appreciation to the dedicated team at CoxHealth — with special thanks to Laura Kistler-Bennett — and to family friend Sandy Skoglund Young, whose kindness and steadfast care ensured that Nancy’s final days were peaceful and filled with dignity and grace.

A celebration of Nancy’s life will be held in Springfield in the new year, when family and friends from across the country and around the world can gather to honour her remarkable life and legacy. Funeral arrangements will be through Herman H. Lohmeyer Funeral Home.

Contributions may be made in memory of Sheppard and Nancy Woolford to The Downtown Church, 413 E. Walnut St., Springfield, MO 65806.